Nuclear Energy

Nuclear fusion reactions occur in the core of stars, including the Sun, where high pressure and temperature conditions allow hydrogen atoms to combine and release a tremendous amount of energy. Scientists are also working on creating controlled nuclear fusion in experimental reactors on Earth as a potential source of sustainable energy.

That would depend on what is ignited. If you are referring to events such as the accident in Chemobyl. Upon meltdown, the nuclear core which is partly composed of graphite burned releasing radioactive smoke. There must be many chemical combustion reactions of all sorts happening depending on what has caught on fire. The major concern is the radioactive debris from the core spewing into the environment. There would not be a large explosion such as a nuclear bomb because the uranium used in the core is not enriched enough to detonate.

The LD50/50 (50% mortality in 50 days) for strontium-90 in rats is estimated to be around 2.5 to 3 microcuries per gram of body mass. I do not know if that translates linearly to humans.

Power plants generate electrical energy from kinetic energy by using a turbine to convert the kinetic energy of steam or falling water into mechanical energy, which then drives a generator to produce electricity. The spinning turbine is connected to a rotor in the generator, causing it to rotate and create an electromagnetic field that generates electricity.

We do have nuclear energy now, about 20 percent of total electricity in the US. It can only be used to generate electricity, so it does not cause any change in the way we use energy resources, other than using somewhat less fossil fuels.

Nuclear fission reactions primarily produce two main elements: fission fragments (such as cesium, strontium, and xenon) and neutrons. These fission fragments can further undergo radioactive decay and produce additional elements.

Because only the isotope 235U is fissionable with thermal neutrons and also is good for nuclear weapons.

This is because normal uranium in the Earth is 0.7 % 235U and 99.3 % 238U. The 235U needs to be enriched to 4 % or greater in order to be effective as a fissile material (fission with neutrons producing fission and more neutrons that can continue the reaction) reaction. Power plants run around 4 % to 5 %; but CANDU type reactors work with natural uranium. Weapons run +99 %. Small high capacity reactors, such as on a submarine, run around 20 %.

1. Uranium must be refined to obtain "nuclear grade" uranium.

2. The enrichment in the isotope 235U depends on the type of the nuclear reactor; some reactors (as CANDU) work with natural uranium.

Yes, nuclear fusion is a potential source of energy that has not yet been fully developed for practical use. It involves combining two light atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus, releasing a large amount of energy in the process. Scientists are working on harnessing fusion as a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to nuclear fission and fossil fuels.

It hasn't been achieved yet, and it seems doubtful that it is possible. You may want to read the Wikipedia article on cold fusion to get a more detailed overview.

To summarize it: the muon-catalyzed kind definitely is possible and is routinely done by researchers in the field - the problem is that it requires more energy to generate the muons than you can get out of the fusion. The Fleischmann and Pons kind appears to have been poor laboratory technique (I'm being charitable here, and not suggesting that it was deliberate fraud).

Nuclear fusion takes place only in the core of the Sun, or any star. Extremely high energy (temperatures) are required to force atomic nuclei together. The fusion reaction releases heat energy, which continues the fusion of other nuclei.

So far, only one reactor has successfully produced more energy than was expended, and that one is in California. But 23 countries currently have experimental reactors: USA, Canada, China, Japan, Australia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, South Korea, the European Union, the Czech Republic, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, UK, Ukraine, and Sweden.

Many countries around the world use uranium for various purposes, including nuclear power generation, medical applications, and research. Some of the major countries that utilize uranium for nuclear power generation include the United States, France, China, Russia, and Japan. Additionally, countries like Australia, Canada, Kazakhstan, and Namibia are significant producers of uranium.

When working around nuclear reactors, it's important to wear appropriate protective clothing such as coveralls, gloves, and safety goggles to prevent exposure to radiation or hazardous materials. Specialized gear like dosimeters to measure radiation levels may also be necessary. Follow all safety protocols and guidelines provided by the facility.

Fission (atom splitting) nuclear reactors are used on ships, on land, and in space satellites, because they provide a lot of continuous energy for a very long time, from a small amount of material. A pound of fissionable material will last much long than tons of coal, or gallons of oil.

Except for a few minutes, Fusion (the joining of atoms) does not work unless in a star or an atomic bomb.

When the earthquake happened, the nuclear power plants automatically shut down. However, even after the fission reaction is stopped, the fuel rods are still very hot, and must be kept cooled. The cooling system was working correctly until the tsunami hit, which destroyed the connections to the power grid, as well as the back up diesel generators. This caused the cooling systems to go to the emergency steam turbine mode, which was not adequate to keep the fuel rods cool for very long.

As the fuel rods got hotter, the water boiled off, which allowed the rods to get even hotter, which began generating hydrogen gas. This gas is explosive, and was detonated by something, resulting in the explosions which further damaged the reactors. Also, used fuel rods are stored on site in pools above the reactor vessels, which require cooling as well. These used fuel rods boiled off their cooling water, and began to overheat. The cooling systems had to be supplemented with some other form of cooling, to keep the fuel in the reactor vessels and in the spent fuel pools from over heating. The method used was to pump as much water in to the reactors and the pools as possible, which resulted in very radioactive water accumulating around the reactors. This highly radioactive water began leaking into the ocean, which caused contamination.

Only one nuclear power plant has suffered catastrophic failures, and they are the result of the tsunami, not of design deficiencies.

No. The heat from the reactor is used to boil water. The steam from said water is used to turn turbines which produces electricity.

No, there is no combustion in a nuclear reactor. Nuclear energy does not need combustion to start it, there is no chemical process involved. It works simply by a neutron chain reaction.

We do not yet have the ability to contain a controlled nuclear fusion reaction on the scale needed to generate power. Barring some stupendous advance in technology, we probably won't have the ability for 50 to 100 years. We are working on it, though.

Physical size of a gamma particle is smaller than that of alpha and beta particle. Since the particle size is smaller, the chances for a gamma particle to collide or interact with other particles (protons, neutrons, and electrons) are much lower. Please do not forget that atom is made up of mostly space. And also, gamma particles are neutral. So they do not have the potential to interact with charged particles.

I would imagine it is since the goal of an electric plant is to give off energy, and exothermic reactions release entergy. Both fusion and fission, the two major nuclear reactions, are exothermic.

Applications of uranium:

- nuclear fuel for nuclear power reactors

- explosive for nuclear weapons

- material for armors and projectiles

- catalyst

- additive for glass and ceramics (to obtain beautiful green or yellow colors)

- toner in photography

- mordant for textiles

- shielding material (depleted uranium)

- ballast

- and other minor applications

The binding energy between atoms is released.

Nuclear fission is the splitting of an atomic nucleus, which releases a large amount of energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation and subatomic particles. This radiation can be in the form of gamma rays, neutrons, and beta particles, which are emitted during the fission process.

Uranium-235 is a heavy atom commonly used in nuclear fission reactions to produce thermal energy. When uranium-235 absorbs a neutron, it becomes unstable and splits into smaller nuclei, releasing a large amount of energy in the form of heat, which is then used to generate electricity in nuclear power plants.